John 5:44 KJV
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
One of the most difficult things we face as we grow in our faith is not allowing our walk with the Lord to become a system of religion. Of necessity we must attend church, serve others, grow in both our knowledge of an skills in ministering. There must be time being taught and there must be time rubbing shoulders with those who teach. And as we do that we will gain a testimony and reputation among those we teach and those we teach alongside of. The problem comes when we become more concerned with our testimony among them than we do with our relationship with the Saviour.
And it is easy to do. After all, we hear their voices, we see their faces. They often have impact upon any future growth we have in the things of God. So it becomes very easy to seek their honor and to view that honor as being the same as honor from God.
But Jesus said the trap the Pharisees had fallen into was that they sought honor one from another and not from God only. And it was this very thing that kept them from believing Christ.
We must discipline ourselves to seek no honor and accept no honor except that honor God gives us. To do otherwise is to step into the trap that will eventually bring us where we won't be able to trust the Lord's leadership in our lives for fear of what the others will say. The only Person's opinion that should matter to us is God's.
How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
One of the most difficult things we face as we grow in our faith is not allowing our walk with the Lord to become a system of religion. Of necessity we must attend church, serve others, grow in both our knowledge of an skills in ministering. There must be time being taught and there must be time rubbing shoulders with those who teach. And as we do that we will gain a testimony and reputation among those we teach and those we teach alongside of. The problem comes when we become more concerned with our testimony among them than we do with our relationship with the Saviour.
And it is easy to do. After all, we hear their voices, we see their faces. They often have impact upon any future growth we have in the things of God. So it becomes very easy to seek their honor and to view that honor as being the same as honor from God.
But Jesus said the trap the Pharisees had fallen into was that they sought honor one from another and not from God only. And it was this very thing that kept them from believing Christ.
We must discipline ourselves to seek no honor and accept no honor except that honor God gives us. To do otherwise is to step into the trap that will eventually bring us where we won't be able to trust the Lord's leadership in our lives for fear of what the others will say. The only Person's opinion that should matter to us is God's.
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